Vol. 28, No. 3 #10 (June 2005). Warming Up Is an Important Rite of Spring Sports.

• Author: By Dr. John Barrasso

Wyoming Bar Journal

2005.

Vol. 28, No. 3 #10 (June 2005).

Warming Up Is an Important Rite of Spring Sports

WYOMING LAWYERJune 2005/Vol. XXVIII, No. 3Warming Up Is an Important Rite of Spring SportsBy Dr. John Barrasso

For members of the baby boomer generation, springtime in the Rockies can be the best of times and the worst of times. And I'm not just talking about the beautiful, summer-like spring days interspersed with the snowstorms. The good side is that most of us are getting outside again. We're shaking off the inactivity of a long winter with furious forays onto playing fields, bikeways and golf courses. We're breaking out the toys of summer and resuming all sorts of energetic sports. The bad news is that often we overdo, and sometimes we end up in the doctor's office or the ER, suffering from overuse injuries from overindulging in the rites of spring. This seems to be particularly true of baby boomers. We often think we're immune to the human aging process. We boomers invented recreational sports as a lifestyle, and every spring finds many of us getting outside to jog or bike or golf or play ball with a passion. Unfortunately, some of us try to do too much, too soon, and we end up getting hurt. Baby boomers suffer more than a million sports injuries a year. Most are to knees, ankles, shoulders and elbows - and many are preventable.

Regular exercise is important for all of us. But sometimes too much exercise can be a bad thing. I call it "EXCESS-ercize," or doing too much, too quickly. I especially see it in my generation, the baby boomer generation. We boomers have been active most of our lives, but we should recognize two important facts. First, we aren't as young as we used to be, and second, we need more time to warm up. Being a baby boomer is a little like driving a 40-year-old car. The tires and shock absorbers are a little worn, the brakes are a little...